Combined electrical switch and fuse



Nov. 5, 1929. H. RoDlN COMBINED ELECTRICAL SWITCH ND FUSE Filed Nov. 2, 1927 gwoentpz Har/ly Hadin n lll l`p/7 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES many RODIN, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB or ONE-HALF To HERMAN E. Kom-1N,

` or CLEVELAND, OHIO COMBINED ELECTRICAL SWITCH AND FUSE Application mea November 2, 1927. serial No. 230,622.

` My invention relates to a system of electric wiring'and it is an object of the same by the application of certain fixtures to provide an improved system so that a short cir- 5 cuit of one light will not throw the whole building in darkness but will onl affect the light short circuited, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring-to the accompanying drawings which are made a part hereof and of which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, a

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a building wired for electricity and showing the application of Amy im roved ixtures, and

Figure 2, a centra longitudinal section through a combined switch and use. In the drawings reference character indicates a building provided with rooms 11, 12 and 13. A main switch 14 receives current from leads 15 from a power line and the current is led through a meter 16 to a line switch 17 provided with a fuse plu 18 inserted in the hot side of the circuit. onductors 19 and 20 carry the electric current from the switch 17 into the vicinity of the rooms 11, 12 and 13. Drop lights 21, 22 and 23 or other suitable fixtures are suspended in the rooms from the conductors 19 and 20. The drop light 21 in room l1 is controlled by a wall switch 24 such as shown in Fig.

2. The room 11 is also provided with acombined fuse and floor plug having connections 26 and 27 'with the conductors 19 and 20.

The rooms 12 and 13 maybe provided with any desired fixtures, however, I have shown them provided with drop lights 22 and 23 suspended from canopies 28, a fuse plug'18- being inserted in-each canopy in the hot side of the circuit.

With this construction a defect causing a .short circuit in either of the rooms 11, 12 Aor 13 will blow out the nearest fuse land throw the respective room in darkness but will not ail'ect' adjoining rooms. Forexample,'if a short circuit occurs at the lamp 21 or about its canopy from which it is supported, the fuse in the box associated with the switch 24 will-be blown and a light Or 50 other attachment connected with the floor sake.

plug 25 will not be affected nor will the adjoining rooms be affected. In room 12 if any `short circuit occurs between the drop light 22 and the canopy it will be taken care of by the fuse plug 18 and no other light will be affected. The same is also true of the room 13. However, if the short circuit occurs above the drop light socket the fuse in the switch 17 will blow as in any ordinary systems of wirin Of course a short circuit can hardly occur etween the walls and ceiling so there will be no reason for the fuse in the safety switch 17 to blow but it is put there only as an added precautionor for safetys Unless the canopy in aroom is provided with a fuse plug 18any short circuting of the conductors 19 and 20 will of course blow the fuse in the switch 17 requiring a trip tothe basement and a renewing of the fuse in the' said switch, however, any ofthe other fuses which blow and require changing may be changed without making a trip to the base- In Fig. 2 I have shown in detail the con- 75 struction of my switch 24. The switch is mounted in a metallic outlet box 30 secured in position by means of'screws 31 and covered by a plate 32 held in position by screws 33. The switch is comprised of a body 34 formed of porcelain or other material having good insulating qualities and provided with brackets 35 by means of which 1t is secured in the outlet box 30. Conductors 36 and 37 are connected at opposite ends to the porcelain body 34 and said conductors are connected by means of a togglel switch 24, conductors 38 and 39,

.and a socket 40 for the reception of the fuse p vplug'18. The conductors 38 -and 39 are con- 'ed' at 44 and ada ted to be' oscillatedby a spring and a ever 46, said'lever being pivotally connected with thepivot for the switch lever 24. A cover or lid 47 lfor vthe' fuse plug. 18 is-pivot'ed adjacent the switch .lever 24 and the arrangement is such that it isnecessary to have the switch in olf position before the cover 47 can beraised and the 199 fuse plug removed from its socket, thereb eliminating any danger of getting a shoe while replacing a. fuse plug.,

The incorporation o'f the fuse plug with a switch will protect the switch, .will prevent any res or short circuits from doing any damage, and will also obviate the necessity 'of going to the basement to renew a fuse plug.

With the above arrangement va. fuse ma be lo easily and safely change by a woman or c ild without runnin tothe basement and without working in a ox which contains exposed wires. In case. any of the fixtures will be in need of repair it will not be necessary for the electrician to shut o the main switch.

It will only necessary to remove the fuse in the switch or canopy controlling this particular fixture. By doing so the voccupants of the house will be able to enjoy the comforts :of the lights inLall the other rooms and it will permit the electrician to do his work in safety without takin the chances of shock. Short circuits and ot er troubles may be more easily located by electricians and a considerable sav- A ing in both time and expense will be the result- Likewise fuses of varying capacities may be used, as, for example, a 5 ampere fuse may be usedin one of the rooms'where a lamp only is to be used while a larger ampere fuse '3 may be used with a'vacuum cleaner and also in the switch 17.

It will be readily understood that my com` bination switch and fuse 24 or floor plug and fuse 25 may be placed in any other posi- 3'5 iion desired as for example directly in the f oor.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my device without departing rom the spirit of the n invention,and I, therefore, do not limit myself to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus fully described my said in- 5 lvention, what I clalmA as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

A combined electrical switch'and fuse comprising a housing, a socket for the reception 0f a threaded fuse plug in saidv housing of a depth to cause the head of the fuse plug to be located without the housing when the plug is in position, a switch in said housing, an operating member for the switch disposed in close proximity to the head of the fuse plug when the switch is closed, and a cover for the,

fuse plug pivoted between the operating member and the socket and capable of being raised only when the switch is in open position, substantially as set forth.

30 In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Cleveland, Ohio, this 26th day of October, A. D. nineteen hundred and twentyseven.

HARRY RODIN. 

